The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-11
THE ST. LOUIS BRIDGE.


The great bridge across the Mississippi by
which the railroads entering st. Louis from
the East gain admission, is one of the finest
works Of the kind in the whole world. In
many Of IFS features it has no parallel any
where, and its construction was regarded
with great interest by the lesding engineers
Of the world. 1t was planned and built by
Capt. James 3. Eads, who built the gunboats
used on the Western rivers, and afterward
constructed the 5etties at the mouth Of the
Mississippi. The work was begun in 1869
The great difficulties TO be encountered were
the width of the mighty river, the necessity
Of a structure so high as 10 not interfere
with the extensive commerce that floats
upon its bosom, and the trouble of securing
proper foundation in the deep alluvial
soil that forms its banks. Added to these,
Of course, was the difficulty of getting the
immense amount Of money required to de-
fray the expense.
II was necessary to 20 down from 100 10
100 feet 10 find the bedrock, and this work
was done by sinking enormous iron caissons,
in which the workmen labored, while the
treacherous sand and water were held of
by high atmospheric pressure. The work
was so exhausting that men could en-
dure it but short time, and they were
troubled by an annoying malady, called,
for want Of a better name, the caisson
disease" Upon the foundation so OBJ
tanned were erected four immense piers Of
granite and limestone. These support the
great spans, one OF which is $40 feet long
and the other two 5l5 each. They have a
rise Of 60 feet, which is sufficient TO permit
the passage Of steamboats, at all stages OF
water. The whole superstrueture is of steel,
and ii was the FIRST time in the history of
the world that this metal was used for such
a structure. There are two roadways across
the bridge, one for carriages and one for rail-
roads. The latter enter the city by means
Of tunnel $500 feet long. The entire cost
was about Sl2,OOO,OOO.
The bridge is in itself sight worth going
TO ST. Louis to see, and view from its para
pets Is one Of the very finest in the world
Standing in its center and looking toward
the north one sees the mighty Mississippi,
the artery of the continent. roll out of the
horizon with IFS volume swollen by the tur-
bid waters which the Missouri has gathered
in a course of 5000 miles and poured into
the Father Of Waters" at Alton, 20 miles
away. Stately steamboats,, putting tugs and
slOw-moving RATS emerge from the northern
hotizOn and 90 with the rolling waters out
Of sight underneath the rim of the sky to
the southwark
To the eastward is the busy little city of
East ST. Louis, and the almost boundless
plains Of Illinois, ribbed with railroads, all
cOnyerging toward the great bridge. Trains
rush out under the feet Of the observer.
with scream Of whistles and thunder Of
wheels, and presently are seen a score Of
miles away, crawling through the yellow
cornields like a queer, black worm with
white markings. Busy little towns, en-
powered in trees, dot the level prairies as far
ms the eye can reach. To the southwark
the yellow tide of the Mississippi, with lis
burden Of boats and RATS, rolls sway and
is lost beyond the clouds To the west is